PM announces support for development of clean energy in Northern Quebec

Nunavik, Quebec, Canada | August 23, 2013

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today visited the Raglan Mine in Nunavik, Quebec, where the Government of Canada is supporting a clean energy wind project. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) and Minister for the Arctic Council, Joe Oliver, Minister of Natural Resources, Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, Senator Dennis Patterson and Ryan Leef, Member of Parliament for Yukon.

“Our Government’s investment in innovative clean energy technologies is creating jobs, generating new economic opportunities and protecting the environment in Northern Quebec and across Canada,” said the Prime Minister. “Through our responsible resource plan, competitive tax rates and investments in skills training, Canadian resource companies are growing, creating jobs and improving the quality of life of Northern communities.”

Remote communities and mining operations in Northern Canada are dependent on diesel-based energy generation with limited options to diversify from this energy source. Through our Government’s support, TUGLIQ Energy Co. and Xstrata Nickel Inc. will examine the feasibility of integrating wind energy into an existing diesel-based electricity system in Nunavik. The proposed system would generate energy from wind and store surplus wind energy through hydrogen, providing a stable and sustainable source of energy at Raglan Mine.

This project is one of the 55 innovative projects that were announced on May 3, 2013, by Prime Minister Harper, which aim to produce and use energy in a cleaner, more efficient way. Support is being provided through Natural Resources Canada’s ecoENERGY Innovation Initiative, introduced in Budget 2011. These projects focus on innovation in energy efficiency, clean electricity and renewables, bioenergy, electrification of transportation, and unconventional oil and gas across the country.

Since 2006, the Government of Canada has taken action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build a more sustainable environment through more than $10 billion in investments to support green infrastructure, energy efficiency, clean energy technologies and the production of cleaner energy and fuels.

The Government is proud to continue supporting initiatives in Northern Quebec that are improving the quality of life of Northerners and contributing to economic growth in the region. This includes supporting skills training and development, affordable housing and projects in the mining industry, as well as promoting the growth of small businesses, improving research facilities that support Arctic science and technology, and improving communications infrastructure for businesses and communities.